[General Rant] They probably would do it for you.

I've been hearing "They wouldn't do it for me." and variants of it for years. It irritates me to no end. Typically it involves some being in power going out of their way for someone minority or group. (Gasp) Those bastards.

 

Let's start with today's of someone complaining that a City Hall in California was staying open later than usual so they could help with all the marriages being registered thanks to the U.S. Government saying "Of course gay people can marry."

 

Let's overlook that I bet if a hetro couple showed up in the line that they would get the same help as anyone else in line, what exactly are all these couples taking away from you? Even if City Hall wouldn't stay open for whatever large group of citizens you belong to finally getting a basic right of equality, what are you losing by all these happy people getting their happiness? What are they taking away from you? Are you a City Hall employee? Are you working for free? Are these people knocking on your front door and telling you that because they're now married you can't be? Are they stealing away your thunder as being part of a married couple? What exactly are you losing here that is making you cranky? And being the incredibly cynical woman I am, I would think City Hall WOULD stay open for any large group of constituents showing up for a service; they're all voters, and the powers that be do like their voters! They like making their voters happy!

 

Every so often I get emails from people that's perpetuating the immigrants are evil stereotype. What I think is beautiful is that the main proponent of these emails is an immigrant herself. Emails about how they're taking over our country, they're not becoming amalgamated, how their ways are interfering with ours and they don't want to become Canadian (or American), they just want to make it like home so why are they here type things. Let's look at this, shall we? First off, since the ESL classes are overflowing, I think we can start with that they are actually trying to join our country. The first step is learning the language. I know plenty of second or even third generation immigrants who still have the habits of their parents and grandparents' old country ways; their food preference, their method of speech, all sorts of things. I only spent the first seven years of my life in Britain and it flavours me very strongly, but I guess that's okay since I'm white, female, and my place of birth produces Doctor Who. Lastly, they don't want to make it "just like home."  Because, frankly, if home is a good place to be.. you don't leave. If you have a good income, a good environment, and a happy place, it takes something pretty drastic to get you to leave it. Picking up your life, and your family's lives, to trek halfway across the planet to start over again? You have a good reason; typically you see better opportunity for yourself and your loved ones. Perhaps better living conditions, perhaps more freedom, perhaps more mountains to climb and more oceans to swim in - who knows, but you don't leave somewhere just to transplant what you had unless that had is gone. Yes, they bring changes, but here's a fact - life is change. Canada is a patchwork. We take the best of everyone who sets up here and we make a beautiful and better country out of what our people have to offer. To tie this back in, is the perpetuated believe that these immigrants are somehow getting special rights above and beyond. There are services in play to help new residents because citizens and fit into our country, you bet, but to complain about those services in one breath, and then the other say they're not conforming is a bit silly. "We had to prove we spoke English or French!" Sure, but you didn't have to prove your parents did when you brought them in as family. Want that changed? Rally the government.

 

Next time someone says "They wouldn't do it for me/us!" I think the response should be "Really? Why wouldn't they?" If the answer involves them not being a part of a prosecuted minority trying to reach the same level of rights and opportunities as they who complains already enjoys, I think I shall be less than sympathetic.

 

Negativity only spreads negativity. Try a different outlook.